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vCHARLES NELSON, Or New YORK, N. Y.,` ASSIGNOR TO HiMsELr AND LOUIS KLUEBER, or SAME PLAGE.

` ,Leners .Patent No. 65,764, dated Jima 11, 1867.

i IMPROYBD roY TOEPEDO AND-'EXPLOSIVB doMPoUND.

'ro ALL wuoM v1r MAY CONCERN;

.Be it kilown that I, CHARLES NELSON, 'of the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in the Manufacture of Torpedoes for Childrens Toys; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof.

My torpedo is inode ofcommonand cheap materials, and involves the consumption of no paper or other valuable {ibi-ous materials. Thebody is moulded in lthc proper form lwith or without pressure, and the fulminate is introduced into a hole in the body, and the remainder of the hole is filled with the same or 'a different material from the body. The wholemay be varnished and thus made impervious to moisture.

I will first describe what I consider the best means for carrying ont my invention, and will afterwards."

designate the points which I regard as new therein.

'lhe accompanying drawings form a part 'af this specification.

Figures I, 2, and 3 representsections, and Figure 4is a view of my torpedo complete. Figure 1 represents the clay body previous to the reception of the' `explosive material. Figure 2 represents the same after the explosive material has been introduced. Figure S'shows the remainder ot' the hole filled up, and the whole varnished ready for transportation oi` use. Similar letters of reference indicate correspondingpart-s in all the figures wherever they occur. f A is a body, made of plastic clay.. I prefer a) mixture of about equal parts of tire-clay and pipe-clay; but the qualities ofthe clay maybe very `greatlyl varied without seriously modifying thecct of the invention. It is desirable thatthc composition shall be hard and strong enough to bear ordinary handling, -while it shall at the V.Sametime bcsuiocieutlyqsoftud fragilmtn helshakeaintogsmall.,pieces by the `actioudue, to the Aexplosion of the contents;y v

Other material than'clay may be used, but I prefer the mixture asabove described.

The materialaftc'r being thoroughly kneadcd with s'uiiicient mostureto forma coherent mass, is pressed with more or, less force, as may be found expedient, into a mould of'proper form, which I do not consider it necessary vto describe. The mould should titA togc'therin two or more pieces, so as to make a mass either spherical or otherwise convenient andattractive; and the' hole in the interior may be eithenof uniform size throughout, or

slightly tapered. The latter form will more easily allow the withdrawal of thepin or former by which the hole is shaped.A The body A is next thoroughlyv dried. I prefer to eect this in well-ventilated sheds protected from the direct action of the sun. After the drying, the composition described below, and which is indicated by B,

is introduced in a pasty-condition, and then the bolus or plug` C is compressed upon the explosive composition, and when the who-le is dried, the explosive material is enclosed at or ncar the centre of a nearly homogeneous mass of-dry moulded material.- Aftcr the whole has dried the surface is varnished, as indicated by D, and packed in saw-dust or otherwise for use or transportation.

i The eX'plosivc/material which I prefer and" have used very successfully with my moulded bodies is coulpounded as follows: One-third amorphous\'phospliorus, one-third chlorate of potash, one-sixth sulphur, onesixth pulverized chalk. These ingredients are compounded with suilicient water to form a paste, and may be introduced into the holes by hand' or by machinery. v

' YI have made my torpedoes for experimental purposesabout half the`sizc represented in the figures. I propose to make them larger or smaller as may be foundtdesir'able in practice. The `torpedoes described, about one-half an inch in diameter, are harmless, and explode with a very loud rcport.

Han/'ingl now fully described myfinvention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows: l

i 1. I claim the toy torpedo herein described, havinga body moulded in the form required, and ciimposed of materials which shall be harmless in exploding, substantially as herein described. A

2.1 claim as an explosive composition for torpedoes andanalogous uses the compound herein described, composed'of materials in the proportions substantially as herein specified.

Intestimony whereof I havefhereuuto setmy hand i n the presence of two subscribing' witnesses.

' CHARLES NELSON.

Witnesses:

EMIL VossNAon, 'WM. 0. Der. 

